Display having variable incline shelves

ABSTRACT

A display includes a frame and a plurality of shelves supported by the frame. Each shelf includes a product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion. The second inclined portion having a reduced incline relative to the first inclined portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to product displays for a retail environment.

A retail display desirably provides prominent and aesthetically pleasing display of and easy access to a product. When attempting to market a product, the seller typically wants consumers to easily recognize and remove the product from the display. Merchandise can be most easily recognized and accessed if located in a generally upright position and maintained in relatively close proximity to the forward edge of the merchandise shelf. It is also desirable for the display to be adaptable for accommodating products and packaging of varying sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a display including a frame and a shelf supported by the frame and having a product support surface. The product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion. The second inclined portion having a reduced incline relative to the first inclined portion.

Other embodiments of the present invention provide a display including a frame and a shelf supported by the frame. The shelf having a plurality of product support surfaces, each product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion at an angle relative to the first inclined portion. The shelf also includes a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending ribs that each extend adjacent to at least one product support surface to a height above the adjacent product support surface. Where pairs of ribs and a product support surface therebetween define a plurality of product receiving slots.

Other embodiments of the present invention provide a display including a frame and a plurality of shelves, at least some being supported by the frame and having a product support surface. The product support surface includes a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion at an angle with respect to the front portion. The display also includes a front support coupled adjacent to the front of the frame, the front support including a plurality of lateral front cross members, each for supporting a forward portion of a respective shelf. The display also includes a rear support coupled adjacent to the rear of the frame, the rear support including a plurality of lateral rear cross members, each for supporting a rearward portion of a respective shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display having variable incline shelves.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a frame member for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a front support for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a rear support for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a six-slot variable incline shelf for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 a is a side view of the six-slot variable incline shelf of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a three-slot variable incline shelf for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a shelf stop for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a bottom shelf for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a top shelf for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a tier shelf for the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the display of FIG. 1 supporting a variety of products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or embodiments, or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

FIGS. 1-4 and 14 illustrate a shelving unit or floor display 10 for displaying a product or plurality of products. The floor display 10 includes a frame 14 having first and second frame members 18, 22, and a plurality of variable incline shelves 26 that, in the illustrated construction, include at least one support surface 30 having multiple inclined portions 34, 38 (described below). The floor display also includes a front or display side, accessible by the customer (see the left side of FIG. 4), and a rear opposite thereof.

The first and second frame members 18, 22 (see FIG. 5) are substantially identical, each generally resting on a support surface (e.g., the ground or floor) to provide a stable foundation upon which the shelves 26 and other elements of the display 10 can be supported. The frame members 18, 22 each include a front and a rear upright 42, 46, each extending generally upwardly from a bottom member 50. The frame members 18, 22 also include a top member 54 extending between the front and rear uprights 42, 46 opposite from and at an angle with the bottom member 50. In the illustrated construction, each frame member 18, 22 also includes a pair of casters 58 to allow the entire display 10 to be easily moved across the support surface. In other constructions, each frame member 18, 22 may include adjustable legs, shock absorbing feet, or may be bolted directly to the support surface, depending upon the specific needs of a particular user. The frame members 18, 22 may also include a plurality of brackets, hooks, mounting locations, and the like for hanging various accessories, such as additional merchandise, signage, and the like (see FIG. 14). In yet other constructions, the floor display 10 may include more than two frame members, which may, among other things, allow for an increase in the width of the shelves 26 or the weight of the products being supported.

The frame 14 also includes a front support 62 couplable to and positionable along the front uprights 42 of the first and second frame members 18, 22 to at least partially support the variable incline shelves 26 (see FIG. 6). The front support 62 is substantially rectangular in shape, including a pair of connecting members 66 for coupling to a respective one of the front uprights 42, and one or more front cross members 70 extending between the connecting members 66. Each front cross member 70 is and configured to support the front portion of a respective shelf 26.

The frame 14 also includes a rear support 74 couplable to and positionable along the rear uprights 46 of the first and second frame members 18, 22 (see FIG. 7). The rear support 74 is similar to the front support 62 and includes a pair of connecting members 78 and one or more rear cross members 82 extending therebetween. The rear support 74 supports the rear portions of the shelves 26. In the illustrated construction, the display 10 includes a single rear support 74, however in alternate constructions, more than one rear support 74 may be used, and preferably, the number of rear supports 74 is equal to the number of front supports 62.

The front and rear supports 62, 74 are configured to allow the user to adjust the position of multiple shelves 26 simultaneously, without the need to adjust individual cross members, or to reposition individual shelves. Adjusting the front or rear supports 62, 74 simultaneously moves each shelf 26 supported thereby. This allows the user to maintain the relative position of the shelves 26 with respect to one another during the adjustment. By changing the positions of the front and rear supports 62, 74 relative to one another, the user is also able to adjust the angular orientation of the shelves 26 relative to the frame 14. Typically, each rear cross member 82 is positioned at a higher elevation than the corresponding front cross member 70 so the shelves are angled downwardly (see FIG. 4). In the illustrated construction, a single front support 62 and a single rear support 74 is used, however in alternate constructions, more than one front or rear support 62, 74 may be present so groups of shelves 26 may be adjusted individually.

In the illustrated construction, the cross members 70, 82 are substantially parallel one another and equally spaced along the height of the connecting members 66, 78 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). However, in alternative constructions, the cross members 70, 82 may be positioned at varying distances from one another dependent upon the size and type of merchandise to be sold.

The frame 14 also includes one or more braces 86 extending between the first frame member 18 and the second frame member 22. The braces 86 work collectively with the front and rear supports 62, 74 to support the frame 14. In the illustrated construction, a brace 86 is located between the first and second frame members 18, 22 proximate the rear support 74 (see FIG. 1). However, in alternate constructions, additional braces may be used or the brace 86 may be repositioned dependent upon the structural requirements of the display 10.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-14 and 12, the floor display 10 also includes a top shelf 90 coupled to and extending between the top members 54 of the first and second frame members 18, 22. The top shelf 90 is substantially rectangular, although in alternate constructions different sizes and shapes may be used. When the display 10 is assembled, the incline of the support surface 94 substantially corresponds to the incline of the top members 54 (see FIG. 4), although spacers or other inserts may be used for adjustments. In the illustrated construction, the top shelf 90 is defined by a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending wire members having their frontward and rearward ends upturned and joined by laterally extending wires to define front and back walls 98, 102, respectively. The walls 98, 102 typically extend at an angle with respect to the support surface 94, selected such that the walls extend substantially vertically even when the support surface 94 is angled. In addition, when the display 10 is assembled, the top shelf 90 helps maintain the structural integrity of the frame 14, especially when the front or rear supports 62, 74 are removed, e.g., for adjustment thereof.

The top shelf 90 also includes one or more dividers 106 extending generally upwardly from the support surface 94 to separate the support surface 94 into two or more portions 94 a, 94 b. When in place, the dividers 106 may separate different type of products, help support smaller products, or be used as a stop to limit unwanted the movement of products along the support surface 94. While shown dividing the support surface 94 into front and rear portions 94 a, 94 b (widthwise), the dividers may also separate the support surface lengthwise into left and right portions (not shown). In the illustrated construction, each divider 106 is generally formed from a “U” shaped length of wire coupled to the underside of the support surface 94 (e.g., by welding), however in alternate constructions, each divider 106 may be removably coupled to the support surface 94 (e.g., by clips, pins, interlocking wire members, and the like) so they can be removed, adjusted, or added, as necessary.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 13, the floor display 10 also includes a tier shelf 110 coupled to the top shelf 90 to provide additional storage capacity to the floor display 10. The tier shelf 110 includes an elevated support surface 114, that may or may not be parallel to the support surface 94 of the top shelf 90. In the illustrated construction, the tier shelf 110 includes a vertical member 118 that doubles as a support and a rear wall for the elevated support surface 114. The tier shelf 110 is couplable to the top shelf 90, typically proximate the rear wall 102, by any one of clips, pins, interlocking wire members, adhesives, and the like. In the illustrated construction, the support surface 114 of the tier shelf 110 is substantially planar, however, in alternate constructions the support surface 114 may include ridges, dividers, or may be contoured to better display the products.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 11, the floor display 10 also includes a bottom shelf 122 coupled to and extending between the bottom members 50 of the first and second frame members 18, 22. The bottom shelf 122 is substantially rectangular, although in alternate constructions different sizes and shapes may be used. Similar to the upper shelf 90, the bottom shelf 122 is formed from a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending wire members with their frontward and rearward ends upturned and joined together to define front and back walls 126, 130, respectively. In the illustrated construction, the support surface 134 of the bottom shelf 122 is substantially planar, however, in alternate constructions the support surface 134 may include ridges, dividers, or may be contoured to better display the products. In addition, when the display 10 is assembled, the bottom shelf 122 helps maintain the structural integrity of the frame 14, especially when the front or rear supports 62, 74 are removed, e.g., for adjustment thereof.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 8-9, the floor display 10 also includes a plurality of variable incline shelves 26, each shelf 26 supported between a corresponding pair of front and rear cross members 70, 82, of the front and rear supports 62, 74. Each shelf 26 is substantially rectangular and includes a support surface 30 having multiple inclined portions 34, 38, such that the portion 34 is disposed at an angle with respect to the portion 38. More specifically, the support surface 30 of the present invention includes a first inclined portion 34 extending rearwardly from the front edge 138 of the shelf 26 at a first incline angle A, and a second inclined portion 38 extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion 34 at a second incline angle B that is less than incline angle A (see FIG. 8 a). In alternate constructions, more than two inclined portions may be included. In other constructions, the incline portions 34, 38 may transition smoothly from one portion to the next.

In some embodiments, each shelf 26 may include a plurality of support surfaces 30, each separated by a rib 142 to produce a plurality of slots 146 therebetween. Each slot 146 is associated with a respective support surface 30 and may be specifically configured for a particular product. The positions of the ribs 142 can be altered to change the number or width of the slots 146 located on each shelf 26 (see FIGS. 8 and 9). Although each shelf 26 of the illustrated construction contains multiple slots 146 of similar width, in alternate constructions, a combination of wide and thin slots 146 may be utilized on a single shelf 26. Furthermore, the contour of each support surface 30 may include a unique number, size, and quantity of inclined portions, dependent upon the characteristics of the product to be displayed.

Illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 10, each variable incline shelf 26 also includes a stop 150 removably coupled to and positioned substantially adjacent to a front edge 138 of the corresponding shelf 26. The stop 150 includes a fence or wall 154 that extends forwardly and upwardly from the front edge 138 at a sufficient angle relative to support surface 30 to prevent or at least impede products from falling off the support surface 30 of the respective shelf 26. In some constructions, the stop 150 may be pivoted into an open position (e.g., downwardly away from the front edge 138) to allow product to slide off the support surface 30 of the respective shelf 26. For example, in the illustrated construction, the stop 150 includes a pair of arms 158 that extend upwardly and rearwardly from the wall 154. The arms 158 are positioned on the outermost ends of the stop 150 and each includes a hook 162 at its distal end. The arms 158 extend upwardly along the outermost ribs 142 of their respective shelves 26 and the hooks 162 are received by holes 166 formed in the ribs 142 (see FIG. 14). The configuration of the hooks 162 and the holes 166 allows the stops 150 to pivot about the holes 166 by lifting the wall 154.

As shown in FIG. 14, the combination of the multiple incline portions 34, 38 and the stop 150 provides a product storage and display device that presents product in an upright or nearly upright orientation and that automatically replaces product that is removed from the forward-most position on the shelf 26. Specifically, the first incline portion 34, which is angled more steeply than the second incline portion 38, cooperates with the wall 154 to present the product in an upright or nearly upright orientation that allows customers to quickly and easily identify the product. As illustrated, in some embodiments the first incline portion 34 is sized to substantially correspond to the size of the product, such that only one product package is supported by the first incline portion 34 at a time. Additional product packages are positioned in the channels 146 and supported by the second incline portion 38. When a customer removes the product supported by the first incline portion, additional product stored on the second incline portion 38 slides downwardly under the influence of gravity, such that a new product package moves into position on the first incline portion 34. As the new product package slides downwardly from the second incline portion 38 to the first incline portion 34, it is reoriented into a more upright position suitable for display and selection by a customer. The different angles of the support surfaces 34, 38 and the spacing between adjacent shelves 26 promotes the selection only of the product that is positioned on the first incline portion 34. In this way, by stocking the shelves from the rear, the retail user of the display 10 can be relatively sure that the oldest stock will be selected first by customers.

The floor assembly 10 may be assembled as follows. Join the first frame member 18 and the second frame member 22 by coupling the upper shelf 90 to both top members 54 and by coupling the bottom shelf 122 to both bottom members 50. The brace 86 is coupled to both rear uprights 46. The front and rear supports 52, 74 are coupled to the front and rear upright 42, 46, respectively. A chosen combination of variable incline shelves 26 are positioned atop a rear cross member 82 and its corresponding front cross member 70. The angle and location of the variable inclines shelves 26 are adjusted by repositioning one or both of the front and rear supports 62, 74. 

1. A display comprising: a frame; and a shelf supported by the frame and having a product support surface, the product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion, the second inclined portion having a reduced incline relative to the first inclined portion.
 2. The display of claim 1, wherein the product support surface is one of a plurality of product support surfaces, and wherein the shelf further includes a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending ribs, wherein pairs of ribs combine with a product support surface to define a product-receiving slot.
 3. The display of claim 1, wherein the first inclined portion of each of the plurality of product support surfaces is substantially co-planar with the first inclined portion of the others of the plurality of product support surfaces.
 4. The display of claim 1, further comprising a stop positioned substantially adjacent to a lower edge of the first inclined portion, the stop extending forwardly from the lower edge and at an angle relative to the first inclined portion.
 5. The display of claim 4, wherein the stop is pivotally coupled to the shelf and is pivotable between an open position that allows product to slide off of the first inclined portion and a closed position that impedes product from sliding off of the first inclined portion.
 6. The display of claim 1, further comprising: a front support coupled adjacent to the front of the frame, the front support including a lateral front cross member for supporting a forward portion of the shelf; and a rear support coupled adjacent to the rear of the frame, the rear support including a lateral rear cross member for supporting a rearward portion of the shelf, wherein the lateral rear cross member is positioned at a higher elevation than the lateral front cross member.
 7. The display of claim 6, wherein the front support includes a plurality of lateral front cross members at different elevations, and the rear support includes a plurality of lateral rear cross members at different elevations, and wherein the shelf is one of a plurality of shelves, each shelf supported by a respective pair of lateral front cross members and lateral rear cross members.
 8. The display of claim 7, wherein the plurality of shelves may be adjusted by repositioning at least one of the front support and the rear support.
 9. The display of claim 2, wherein the shelf is one of a plurality of shelves, and wherein a first shelf includes a first number of slots, and a second shelf includes a second number of slots different from the first number of slots.
 10. A display comprising: a frame; and a shelf supported by the frame and having a plurality of product support surfaces, each product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion at an angle relative to the first inclined portion, and where the shelf also includes a plurality of forwardly and rearwardly extending ribs that each extend adjacent to at least one product support surface to a height above the adjacent product support surface, wherein pairs of ribs and a product support surface therebetween define a plurality of product receiving slots.
 11. The display of claim 10, wherein the first inclined portion of each of the plurality of product support surfaces is substantially co-planar with the first inclined portion of the others of the plurality of product support surfaces.
 12. The display of claim 10, further comprising a stop positioned substantially adjacent to a lower edge of the first inclined portion, the stop extending forwardly from the lower edge and at an angle relative to the first inclined portion.
 13. The display of claim 10, wherein each slot on the shelf is substantially the same width.
 14. The display of claim 10, wherein the shelf is one of a plurality of shelves, and wherein a first shelf includes a first number of slots, and a second shelf includes a second number of slots different from the first number of slots.
 15. A display comprising: a frame; a plurality of shelves, at least some being supported by the frame and having a product support surface, the product support surface having a first inclined portion adjacent a front of the display and a second inclined portion extending rearwardly from the first inclined portion at an angle with respect to the front portion; a front support coupled adjacent to the front of the frame, the front support including a plurality of lateral front cross members, each for supporting a forward portion of a respective shelf; and a rear support coupled adjacent to the rear of the frame, the rear support including a plurality of lateral rear cross members, each for supporting a rearward portion of a respective shelf.
 16. The display of claim 15, wherein the lateral rear cross member is positioned at a higher elevation than the corresponding lateral front cross member.
 17. The display of claim 15, wherein each shelf is supported by a respective pair of lateral front cross members and lateral rear cross members.
 18. The display of claim 17, wherein the plurality of shelves may be adjusted by repositioning at least one of the front support and the rear support.
 19. The display of claim 17, wherein the relative position of each shelf of the plurality of shelves is substantially maintained with regards to any adjacent shelves when at least one of the front support and rear support are adjusted. 